


That's What Father's Do

by Fanatic_weirdo



Series: Lightwood-Bane Family [14]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: BAMF Magnus Bane, Camille Belcourt Being An Asshole, Dead Camille, Hence why Camille will do it, Hurt Rafael, Hurt/Comfort, I hate anyone calling Magnus Maggie, M/M, Minor Character Death, Past Magnus Bane/Camille Belcourt, Protective Father, Protective Magnus Bane, Worried Alec, Worried Magnus, hurt camille belcourt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 01:26:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13730181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanatic_weirdo/pseuds/Fanatic_weirdo
Summary: Camille comes to Magnus's loft with no knowledge of his current life or family but when 8 year-old-Rafael comes home, she finds a bargaining chip. Camille finds out where Magnus's loyalty's lie and Rafael finds out just how far his father is capable of going to keep him safe.





	That's What Father's Do

He needed to get her out of their house, get her away from the place where his sons and husband should be safe. He’d been caught off guard when he got home from a client to find his ex-lover sitting on his couch. Thank Lilith he’d been the first home. 

Camille looked around the living room curiously. Rafael and Max’s extra coats were hanging by the door, Max’s shoes just under the coats. Rafael never took his shoes off until he was in his room; no one ever corrected him. One of Alec’s books was still on the coffee table. Proof of his family was all around. 

“Magnus,” she said, smiling almost as if truly happy to see him. Magnus’s mouth fell open and he looked around anxiously, as if this were some kind of trap. And it probably was intended to be; Camille’s very presence was a trap. “How I’ve missed you,” she purred.

“How did you get in here?!” Magnus asked harshly. His wards should have kept her out. They were meant to keep any unwanted guest out, but especially her.

Camille chuckled, amused that Magnus was so clearly flustered. “You think I haven’t learned to get passed your wards?” 

Magnus almost flinched. He thought he’d considered all the tricks anyone could try. How was he supposed to protect his children when he couldn’t even keep Camille out?

“You are not welcome here,” Magnus claimed, his voice cold and angry. 

Camille stuck out her bottom lip in a false pout. “Oh Maggie, don’t be mean. I wanted to see you,” she purred and stood, gliding towards him. “Haven’t you missed me too?” 

Magnus took a step back as she tried to reach out to him. Everything in Magnus screamed to get her out, to portal her to anywhere else in the world, maybe the Gobi Desert where it was still light outside. 

Except she was Camille.

There would always be something about her that drew him in, that made him…powerless. The history they shared. The fact that he had once loved her. More than he had loved anyone until he met a certain Shadowhunter. He thought she’d been his true love, his eternal love. He was grateful every day that he had been wrong. That what he felt for Camille wasn’t the deepest, hardest, best he was capable of. She was the ex that taught him how being loved was NOT supposed to feel. How being cheated on felt. How loving someone more than they loved you felt. But those lessons had been important; she’d been important to his ability to love Alec more perfectly and fully. She’d taught him how to protect Alec’s heart so that it didn’t end up like his had been after Camille. She’d also taught him how to love his children in a less direct way. Her lack of care for the vampires she sired, how she didn’t teach them, didn’t bother to help them navigate their world, made Magnus want to do his very best for his children, love them harder and better than they imagined they could be loved. 

Suddenly the loft door opened and Rafael walked in. 

“Hey Papa! Guess what I di—”

Magnus’s entire world faded until it was nothing but his 8 year old son who was now paler than Camille now that he’d seen her. His jacket was halfway off his shoulder, his bow next to him on the floor. He was stuck, motionless, as he stared at the vampire who looked back. Everything part of Magnus went cold. Rafael.

“A child?” Camille asked, her voice now cold and threatening. When she spoke Rafael was broken out of his spell. He whimpered and moved to run back out the door, but Camille was too fast for both of them. Rafael didn’t even get his hand on the knob and Magnus hadn’t managed to get a shield up before Camille had her claws on Rafael. Rafael flinched violently at the cold hand, at the sharp nails pressing on his soft skin. He knew that coldness, the piercing, unmalleable feel of a vampire touch so well. He’d felt it many, many times just before they-

“NO!” Magnus yelled. “Let him go! It’s me you’re here for, let him go,” Magnus half begged, half demanded. 

Camille looked at Magnus before looking at Rafael who had his eyes screwed shut, tears streaming down his face. She studied him for a moment; she obviously smelled the Shadowhunter blood in him, knew that he was one of the Nephilim. Then it dawned on her.

“You married the Lightwood boy” she asked in disbelief that Magnus would set himself up for so much pain again. Camille had picked up the pieces of Magnus several times after he’d stupidly fallen for mortals who could never love him forever. She’d wiped his tears and kissed away the pain and fed off his misery. Maybe not the best thing she could have done, but, hey, she was a vampire and there was nothing more delicious than blood full of fear or sadness. And Magnus felt those things often. The child in her clutches reeked of fear, add to that that he was Nephilim and a child, he was bound to be the most decadent meal she’d ever put her mouth on.

“Camille, please, he’s just a little boy,” Magnus pleaded, his eyes not leaving Rafael’s terrified face as he tried to breathe through the panic and fear. He wasn’t doing very well; his breaths were pushing out of him choppy and shallow, on the verge of a panic attack. This wouldn’t be his first panic attack, or probably even his last. He knew how to breathe through it, knew how to self soothe, but his mind was too overwhelmed at that moment to think of anything but the pain he needed to prepare himself for, the agony of venom in his system as she drank until well sated. 

“And you adopted a Shadowhunter,” this was stated, or more spat out, as if the audacity of adopting an orphaned Nephilim was revolting and something to be ashamed of. To her it was. Magnus was not only choosing to break his own heart by marrying that stupid Shadowhunter, but then he’d adopted a child?! One who he would watch grow up and grow old and wither and die. And as always Magnus would be the one left behind, broken.

“Yes, I did, we did, please, Camille, if you ever loved me, if you ever felt even the slightest bit of warmth for me, let him go,” Magnus knew he didn’t sound even one bit strong, didn’t sound even slightly like the High Warlock of Brooklyn, but he didn’t care. Rafael needed him to save him, and if he had to grovel, if he had to offer everything of himself to save his child, he would. 

“Papa,” Rafael’s small voice hit him and Magnus flinched at the sadness in it, the cry for help in it, in the desire to be safe. Rafael had come leaps and bounds since he’d walked through the door of their loft 3 years ago, the nightmares faded, the ability to trust growing stronger, his smile appearing more and more, his spirit starting to heal. Magnus couldn’t let all that end, he couldn’t let her hurt him. He had to protect his little boy. 

“It’s okay, Rafe, it’s okay,” he soothed, Rafael’s eyes opening to look at Magnus who was tensed like a cat, ready to flee or fight. 

“They have made you weak, Magnus,” Camille said dangerously, looking at Magnus once more before going back to looking at Rafael who was still unmoving in her grasp. “You wouldn’t dare try to hurt me and risk hurting your precious little niño,” she said, using her other hand to run her fingers through Rafael’s hair. Rafael whined and tried to move away from the hand but it was no use. Camille was stronger than he would ever be. All vampires were; he never had been able to fight back, never been able to defeat them or even get away. More tears fell from the child’s eyes at the thought of the pain shooting through his neck when those teeth sank into him. The scream ripping out of him doing nothing to deter the vampires from feasting on his half- angelic blood. 

“Leave him alone!” Magnus sounded deadly this time, but she was right, he couldn’t risk using magic on her and it hitting Rafael. There had to be a way to distract her, get her away from Rafael, get her attention on him again. “Camille, I’ll give you what you want. You want me to go with you? You want me to—“ Tears filled his eyes as he thought of leaving his family, leaving his happily ever after to go back to his wicked witch. “You want me to abandon them? I will. I’ll go with you, but you have to let him go,” Magnus bargained.

“Papa, no!” Rafael tried to escape her and run to Magnus to stop him, but Camille, despite having her full focus on Magnus, still had a grip on Rafael. “Magia, usa tu magia,” Rafael begged, his distress sending him back into his first language, “No me hará daño,” Rafael promised.

Magnus stared at him, blinking rapidly. ‘It won’t hurt me’. He’d said it so matter of fact, as if it was the most obvious, true thing in the world. Even scared, even while being held by a woman who could hurt him, who probably planned to hurt him, Rafael trusted Magnus, trusted his magic to save him. 

“You know I understand you, right, little Nephilim?” she chuckled cruelly. “He tries to use his magic on me, and I’ll make sure it hits you. Anything he wants to do to me, he’ll do to you first, and once he’s wrought with guilt of failing his son, I will drain you, suck you dry like a pathetic little raisin. Then I’ll wait for your other father to get home, and I’ll drain him too. Your Papa and I will live together forever. He’ll forget your name one day, forget your father’s name, until there is only me. I will always be the most important person in his life.” Rafael stared at Magnus whose eyes flashed, his glamour down, his magic swelling in him, angry and dangerous, whipping and hissing through his veins. No one threatened his family. No one would hurt his Shadowhunters. Magnus met Rafael’s eyes and the corner of Rafael’s lips curved up slightly, Magnus’s magic now crackling in the air and sparking out his fingers. A small nod from Rafael was all he needed. Magnus sent red magic flying at Camille and like she’d threatened she held up Rafael to block her. But Magnus’s magic knew Rafael, as it knew Alexander and Max. His magic loved family, and, dangerous magic or not, it moved to go around Rafael and hit Camille. She screamed in pain and dropped Rafael who fell to his hands and knees. 

Magnus sent the magic again, this time holding it, engulfing Camille, frying her as it found every cell in her body and set it on fire. She screamed an unholy sound, causing Rafael to cover his ears and he rolled away from Camille and stood, running behind Magnus. Magnus channeled every bit of anger she’d ever made him feel, every speck of hurt she’d tried to break him with, every part of himself that loved his boys lit up with fury, dangerous fury, at the threats made against them by this woman. There was a part of him that knew she was part of his history, part of his story, that she was the only person who could understand certain parts of him. But maybe they were parts that didn’t need to be remembered or understood. Camille knew his past, his history, but she had no place in his present. Or future. His present is Alec who had yet to learn everything there was to know about Magnus, but already accepted and loved all that he did know. His present is Rafael who put aside his fear and past to let Magnus and Alec in, to trust them to love and protect him no matter what. His present is Max who was so gentle, kind, so pure and compassionate, who loved his family with every part of himself.

His future is Alec who he would sometimes find pouring through spell books muttering quietly about becoming immortal. His future was Rafael who he would love forever regardless of his mortality. His future is Max who would never have to hear hateful words about himself in his fathers’ voices. His future is the family he protected and protected him, not the woman who had attempted to destroy him. 

“Papa,” Rafael said from his side. His voice unafraid and steady, Magnus didn’t lessen his assault, didn’t release his focus, but he turned his head to acknowledge his son. “Te amo.” 

Magnus smiled warmly at Rafael’s words as the child looked up at him. There was no fear at the amount of violence Magnus’s magic was committing. No fear at the red anger being sent into the vampire. Rafael had never seen this level of power from Magnus, never seen Magnus get angry like this, his entire body practically electric with the quantity of magic being emitted into the room. Rafael could feel the magic all around him, surrounding him like a cocoon of warmth and protection. Like a fire, sure if you got too close you’d be burned, but for Rafael, it was something to keep him warm at night, safe from the dangers that would attempt to hurt him. Rafael was seeing his father’s true self for the first time. Rafael smiled. 

“Te amo, mijo.” As if his love for Rafael gave his magic the final push it needed, Camille exploded with a final shriek of pain. The magic faded and Magnus panted now that the exertion he’d just put out hit him. He half kneeled, half fell in front of Rafael, pulling him into a hug, his magic once again surrounding Rafael, but this time it was the kind Rafael was very familiar with, healing, soothing, but he smiled again. It felt the same, it was definitely the same magic as before, just as protective, as strong, as dangerous, but Rafael had never felt more safe. “I’m so sorry,” Magnus whispered. 

“Por que?” Rafael asked as his fingers clutched Magnus tighter.

“I should have never let her get that close to you, I should have-“ Magnus started but Rafael shook his head.

“Papa,” he said before pulling away slightly, “you saved me,” he reminded him. “You didn’t let her hurt me. You never would have let her hurt me,” Rafael stated, knowingly. Magnus blinked rapidly at the nearly blind faith Rafael had in him. “I have the coolest Papa in the world,” he said with a grin, pulling fully out of Magnus’s arms. “You were all rawr! And your magic was all zzzzzzzaaaaahhhhhhhh! And the vampire was all AHHHH!! And then she was all BBOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!” Rafael reenacted what happened and Magnus was on the floor holding his stomach in laughter when Alec and Max walked in the door. 

“Well if that isn’t the most wonderful sight I’ve ever seen,” Alec said, smiling before his eyes fell on the pile of ash on the floor and the burn marks on the wall. “What-“

“Daddy!!” Rafael cried as he ran over to Alec grinning. “You should have seen it! Papa killed a vampire, um- Camille?” he asked uncertainly. Alec gasped at the name, looking at Magnus who was climbing to his feet. “She tried to hurt me but Papa blew her up!” Rafael explained. Alec stared at Magnus who was distracted by Max’s excited greeting. Alec smiled worriedly at Rafael and scanned his face for any marks though he knew he wouldn’t find any. “It was awesome!” 

Alec chuckled and nodded, “I’m sure it was,” he agreed, pulling Rafael into a hug. The 8-year-old seemed confused for a moment as they'd been at the Institute together barely 15 minutes ago but then hugged Alec back tightly before pulling back out of Alec’s arms. 

“Maxie! Come on! I’ll show you what happened,” Rafael cried and pulled his little brother towards his bedroom. Alec grabbed Magnus’s waist, searching Magnus’s face to find tiredness but relief. 

“Are you okay,” he asked so gently that Magnus’s eyes filled with tears and he laid his head on Alec’s collarbone. 

“She grabbed him. I couldn’t breathe. She had her disgusting hands on our baby,” he said in a half moan. “I don’t know how she got past my wards, but I promise you I will redo them. I will make them murder anyone who tries to get in that’s not our family. No one will ever hurt them again I swear,” Magnus’s promises breaking into sobs as he fully embraced his husband. “I have never been more scared in my entire life,” he admitted, his face now buried in Alec’s neck, hot tears hitting Alec’s skin. 

“Shh, shhh,” Alec soothed as he ran his fingers up and down Magnus’s back. “It’s okay babe, it’s okay,” he said quietly. He’d never imagined Camille would come back. When they’d banished her, Alec never thought she’d have the guts to show her face around him again. And to threaten Rafael… Alec hugged Magnus tightly, grateful that he was fine and that Rafael seemed rather unaffected. Maybe seeing Magnus go full High Warlock had told Rafael that no vampire would ever be able to hurt him here. “Are you okay with what you did,” he asked again knowing Magnus wasn’t just upset about Camille hurting Rafael, but also about the fact that it was Camille that he’d had to kill.

“The bitch tried to hurt our child, Alec. I don’t regret killing her. I don’t care that she’s dead. I feel nothing but relief that my boys are safe.” He looked up at Alec who looked at him affectionately but worry still floating in his eyes. “I’m fine, I promise,” Magnus said softly even as Alec wiped his face free of tears with the pads of his thumb. The man in front of him was breathtakingly beautiful, his yellow eyes wet from emotion and Alec could feel that he was breathing slightly hard in magical overuse. He’d exhausted himself to murder an ex love to save their child. Alec ducked his head slightly and kissed Magnus’s lips softly and comfortingly, wrapping his arms around Magnus’s shoulders tightly.

“How do you guys breathe when you’re like that,” Max’s small voice brought them apart and they looked down with a small smirk, their arms still draped over each other. 

“We breathe through our nose, silly goose,” Alec responded. Max had his arm around Rafael’s waist and Rafael’s arm was on Max’s shoulder. 

“It’s gross,” Max continued. Magnus and Alec once again chuckled, Alec leaning his face against Magnus’s. 

“Well that’s too bad, because I like kissing Papa and this is our house so I will kiss him as much and as often as I want,” Alec said, kissing Magnus deeply, until the older man pulled away laughing. The boys pretended to be grossed out and Alec chuckled and kissed Magnus’s forehead again before pulling away and clapping his hands. “Okay! Papa is going to go have a bath and the three of us are going to fix him dinner, how about that?” he asked. Magnus opened his mouth to argue but a quick look from Alec told him to obey and he rolled his eyes but couldn’t help but smile softly at the care of his husband. He knew Alec wouldn’t approve, but he snapped his fingers and the pile of ash that was Camille vanished.

“Mag!” Alec scolded but Magnus chuckled and headed into the bedroom.

“There’s a bath calling my name!” he called back, grinning as Alec shook his head. 

Alec looked down at Rafael and guided him to the sofa. “How you doing, Rafie,” his voice soft and warm. Rafael smiled gently and shrugged casually, Alec’s eyes so big with worry that Rafael couldn’t really bring himself to lie. 

“I’m okay. I was really scared, her hand hurt me, but Papa saved me. I’m not scared anymore,” he promised. Alec kissed his forehead, brushing his hair back out of his face. Alec looked at Rafael who looked almost shy but there was a light in his eyes that Alec didn’t think was there before. He framed Rafael’s face with both hands, smiling softly at him.

“We both love you so much,” Alec whispered. 

Rafael’s smile widened and he nodded, “I know.” 

Alec kissed Rafael’s head before jumping and reaching behind him where Max was standing behind the couch. He squealed as Alec grabbed him and pulled him up to be sitting on his lap. “Nosy little blueberry,” he teased. Max giggled as Alec tickled his sides. “Okay come on, Rafe, let’s cook up this little Warlock,” he said as he wrapped his arms tightly around Max as he screamed. 

Rafael laughed and ran into the kitchen, “You think the crockpot is big enough, Daddy?!” 

Magnus smiled listening to Alec, Max, and Rafael giggle and talking and he couldn’t help but sigh contently as the water warmed his body and his family happy and safe warmed his heart. He never knew he could be this happy. Even when he dreamed of someone who would want to love him and marry him, he never imagined children, never imagined his heart could feel this full and still continue beating. He never thought this amount of happiness was meant for someone like him to have. Someone who was broken and scarred and an ‘abomination’ didn’t deserve to be so loved. 

“Papa,” Rafael’s voice brought him out of his thoughts and he gasped softly wiping his face, unsure of when he’d started crying. 

“Hey, how’s Blue cooking up?” Rafael grinned as Magnus turned in the tub, putting his elbows on the side. Rafael reached out and put his hands on Magnus’s forearms. Magnus looked at the hands before looking back at the big brown eyes that looked up at him. He was still smiling softly and he leaned forward kissing Magnus’s cheek lightly. Magnus smirked when he pulled away, his hands not leaving Magnus’s arms, until his face fell and his eyes dropped to the floor. 

“I’m sorry you had to kill that woman for me,” he whispered softly. Magnus pulled back, looking at him surprised. “She was your friend, and if I hadn’t come in-“ 

Magnus reached up, taking Rafael’s face in his hands. “Shhhh, Cam—that woman—was my friend a long time ago, but she hurt me very much, so I do not want you to feel bad for what happened.” He gently nudged Rafael’s chin so that he was looking into Magnus’s eyes, “I would not hesitate for a single moment if I had to do it over,” he promised, those brown eyes shining with worry and affection. “You are one of the most important people on earth to me. You, Max, and Dad, and I would do anything to protect you all, okay?” He leaned forward and kissed Rafael’s nose. 

“Did you hurt yourself? Using your magic?” Rafael asked quietly. Magnus chuckled at how much like the other Shadowhunter in the family he was. 

“No, Rafe. I’m just a little tired, but I’m not hurt. I don’t even have to take a nap, and after you and Daddy finish simmering Maxie, I’ll be good as new,” Rafael laughed at Magnus’s joke and nodded. Magnus put the bubbles from the bath in his hand and flicked it at Rafael, who cried out in protest but giggled laughed, running out of the bathroom. 

Magnus chuckled and sunk back down into the water. He hadn’t lied to Rafael. He did not regret for a single moment killing Camille. He could never regret saving his family, for they had saved him.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think Magnus's magic would have left Rafael unharmed, but you know... just pretend.


End file.
